Objective
Bdelloid rotifers are freshwater micro-invertebrates being the largest, oldest, most successful group of multicellular organisms reproducing asexually. The existence and success of bdelloids has been called and quot;an evolutionary scandal and quot; becau se all theories on the evolution of sex predict that bdelloids should be extinct. Their existence thus indicates that they must have evolved alternate means of achieving the advantages conferred by sexual reproduction. One of the advantages of sex is that recombination efficiently creates genetic variation which allows a species to avoid being driven to extinction by pathogens. Bdelloids cannot create genetic variability by recombination, yet live in environments where they are exposed to parasites.
The long-term success of bdelloids in such environments suggests that their innate immune system evolved in response to pathogens without the benefit of sexual reproduction. Here, we propose to:
1) Identify natural pathogens of bdelloids by microscopy and PCR
2) Challenge uninfected bdelloids with natural pathogens and non-specific bacterial pathogens infecting a wide range of species and investigate the genetic variation in resistance between bdelloid populations.
3) Examine the genetics of the bdelloid innate immune response by comparing gene expression in infected and uninfected bdelloids, revealing host genes up-regulated upon infection with possibly unusual anti-pathogen properties.
This proposal offers the high reward of a unique model system that may have evolved novel mechanisms of anti-parasite defence that may be useful in combating infection. The proposal is founded on the fields of genomics, molecular and evolutionary biology as applied to parasitology, providing the applicant a first rate training in a wide variety of disciplines. Collaborators with varied research skills are involved, strengthening the research initiative and promising a greater unity in tackling an important problem.
Fields of science (EuroSciVoc)
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
- natural sciences biological sciences evolutionary biology
- natural sciences biological sciences microbiology mycology
- natural sciences biological sciences freshwater biology
- natural sciences physical sciences optics microscopy
- natural sciences biological sciences biological behavioural sciences ethology biological interactions
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Keywords
Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
Programme(s)
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
Topic(s)
Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Call for proposal
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
FP6-2004-MOBILITY-5
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Funding Scheme
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
Coordinator
MONTPELLIER
France
The total costs incurred by this organisation to participate in the project, including direct and indirect costs. This amount is a subset of the overall project budget.